Extensible bedstead



Aug. 4, 1931. M. F. BAYER 1,817,656

EXTENSIBLE BEDSTEAD Filed May 51,1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Aug. 4, 1931. F. BAYER EXTENSIBLE BEDSTEAD 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 31, 1927 i Patented Aug. 4, 1931 UNITED STA ES PATENT j @FFEQE ATTHEW IE. BAYER, or KENOSHA, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR T sIMMous COMPANY, or NEW YORK, 11.1, A CORPORATION or D-ELAWARE EXTENSIBLE IBEDSTEAD Ap neauommea May 31, 1927. Serial No. 195,223. I r

This invention relates to extensible bedsteads and particularly to the type of extensible bedsteads in-which' there is a rela one of which is normally superposed in spaced relation over the other so as to provide'storage space between themfor bedding or the like. 1

The objects ofthe invention are; to provide means for movably connecting the movable bed section to the stationary bed section so as to permit movement of the movable section from. an extended position coplanar with the stationary section to a superposed position over said stationary section; to provide means for maintaining the superposed section spaced above the stationary section so as to provide storage space between the sections for bedding and the like; to provide means for temporarily maintaining the sections spaced apart an amount greater than normal to facilitate insertion of bedding between the sections; to provide means for releasablylocking the sections spaced apart in said greater than normal position and to provide such locking means which will be engageable by merely raising the movable section to the desired position and which will be disengageable by merely raising the movable section a slight additional amount and then lowering the same to its normal position, and in general, to provide an improved structure of the-class described.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be understood by reference to the following specification and accompanying drawings, in which specification and drawings I have described and illustrated an extensible bedstead embodying a selected form of my invention.

In the drawings:

Figs. 1 and 2 are perspectives illustrating respectively, the open and normally closed positions of the movable bed section while superposed over the stationary section.

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 83 of Fig. 2. V 1

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of a detail of construction, and

Figs. 5 and .6 are sections on the lines 55 and 6 -6 respectively of Fig. 4.

In the drawings, 1 have illustrated only one end portion of an extensible bedstead,

it being understood that both ends are Sim ilarly arranged and connected. The main or' stationary bed section consists of 'end frames such as shownmost clearly in Figs. 1 and 2, and which comprise leg members 1010 connected bya transverse angle iron member 11, and which end frames are rigidly and permanently'spaced apart by means of spacer bars 12-12 which are connected to the transverse members 11 of each end frame.

Secured to and extending upwardly from the spacer members12-12are risers 1313 connected by a transverse member 14. The risers 13-13 and cross member 14 extend upwardly from the spacer bars 12 at a point spaced a small distance from the transverse member 11. Another cross member 15-extends between and is secured toth-e spacer members 12-12 in substantial alignment with the risers 1313. Suitable bed fabric which may include springs 16 is stretched between the upper cross members 14 of the end frames, which as above noted are held in spaced relation by means of spacer bars 12-12.

The movable :bed section consists of a pair of end frames each of which comprisesa leg member 17 and transverse member 18 which are suitably'connected and braced, as indicated inthe drawings. Such end frames are spaced apart by means of a spacer bar 19 extending between the leg 17 of each, and

suitably secured thereto, and a spacer bar 20 which extends and is secured to the free end ,of the transverse member 18. The spacer bar 20 is provided with a downwardly offset portion 21 so that it will not interfere with the bed fabric which is stretched between the transverse members 18 of the opposite end frames, and which bed fabric may include at its upper end as indicated at 25 to the transverse member 18 of the movable section and adjacent its lower end, as indicated at 26 to the transverse members 11 and 15 of the stationary section end frame. Thelink 23 is extended as shown at 27, a distance yond its pivotal connection with the transverse members 11 and 15 sufficient to permit a tie-bar 28 to be secured thereto without interfering with the proper degree of movement of the link about the pivot 26. The tiebar 28 is effective to assist the soacer bar 21 to prevent the tension of the bed fabric from collapsing the movable bed section frame, that is, to prevent the tension from pulling the inner ends of the cross members 18 inwardly towards each other. I also find it convenient and desirable to tension a pair of coiled springs 29 and 30 between t 1e extension 27 of the link 23 and the legs 1010 of the stationary section frame for the purpose of assisting movement of the movable section. A suitable bracket 48 may be secured to the lower end of the extension for the purpose of facilitating connection of the said springs thereto.

The link 24 is preferably an extensible link structure which is pivotally connected at its opposite ends to the transverse member 18 of the movable section, as indicated at 31, and to the transverse member 15 of the stationary section, as indicated at 32. It will be observed that the movable section with the links and 24 may be swung about the pivots 26 and 32 on the stationary section into a position substantially coplanar with the stationary bed section. It will also be understood that the movable section may be swung in the reverse direction directly into the position indicated in Fig. 2 where the movable section is shown superposed over the stationary sec tion, with a space indicated at 33 between them, which space may conveniently be used for storing bedding or the like. A guide member 34 is secured to the leg 17 of each end frame and is arranged to engage the riser 13 of the respective stationary section end frames so as to properly position the outer side of the movable section with respect to the stationary section when in folded position.

It will be observed from an inspection of Fig. 2 that it would be a fairly difficult matter to insert bedding between the bed sections after they are moved into folded or superposed position as shown, because of the relatively small amount of open space through which such bedding could be inserted. It will be noted that the links 23 and 24 obstruct the end openings to the space between the sections and that the spacing member 21 obstructs one side opening so that would be necessary to insert the bedding through the said relatively small opening adjacent the outside of the movable section. It is also desirable to insert such bedding into the space between the bed sections after they are moved into superposed position, because if the bedding were placed on the stationary section before such positioning of the movable section, it might possibly engage the spacer member 21 and thus interfere with free movement of the movable section into superposed position and the same interference might occur in the unfolding movement of the movable section if the bedding is not removed before the movable section is unfolded.

For the purpose of making the storage space between the sections more accessible, I provide an extensible link structure which I will now describe. The link 24 is made preferably in two pieces which overlap, as clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the inner piece being indicated at 35 and the outer piece at 36. The piece 35 constitutes one end of the link which, as above explained, is pivoted to the transverse member 18 of the movable section, and the piece 36 constitutes the other end of the-link which is pivoted to the transverse member 15. The inner end of each piece is provided with a guide bracket which serves to maintain the pieces in overlapped relation, but permits lengthwise sliding thereof relative to each other, so that the link is extensible. A guide mem ber 37 is secured to the inner end of the piece 35 and a simliar guide member 38 is secured to the link piece 36 at its inner end. The guide pieces v37 and 38, as will be apparent from an inspection of Fig. 3, are provided with apertures 39 and 40 respectively, through which the opposite link piece is slidable, and whereby the two pieces constituting the link are maintained in operative position.

lVhen it is desired to insert bedding or the like between the movable and stationary sections of the bedstead, the outer side of the movable section is lifted or swung about'its pivotal connection 25 with the link 23, to an elevated position such as shown in Fig. 1. In order to maintain the movable section in such elevated position, the link piece 36 is provided with a notch 41 in one edge, into which notch the guide member 37 of the other link piece is adapted to drop when the links are extended by the said lifting'operation.

A stop pin 42 secured to the transverse member 14 limits downward movement of the inner end of the movable section by engaging the link 23 adjacent its upper end, and it will thus be seen that the space between the bed sections is readily accessible from the outer side of the movable section. The notch 41 into which the guide member 37 drops, is provided with ashoulder 43 against which the guide'member abuts under the weight of the movable bed section.

The shoulder 43 is of relatively small width and extends at an angle as indicatedat 44 to the adjacent edge of the link piece in which it is formed. The opposite shoulder of the notch is inclined as indicated at'45. When it is desired to lower the movable section from elevated position, as shown in Fig. 1 to normal position, as shown in Fig. 2, it is merely necessary to lift the elevated side of the movable section sufiicient to cause the guide member 37 to ride up on the inclined shoulder 45, and then to quickly lower the section which will cause the guide member 87 to jump the notch 41 and be permitted to ride downwardly along the unobstructed edge 47 of the link piece 36. The inclined shoulder portion 44 insures the action just described, since if the guide 37 is afforded opportunity to partially enter the notch in any degree, it will engage this inclined shoulder and ride upwardly thereon until the said unobstructed edge 47 is reached. It will be observed that the extensible link structure just described is positively locked in extended position, and it is also self locking, i. e., outside agencies are not needed to hold the link in extended position. It will further be noted that the extensible link may be caused to collapse by a relatively simple manipulation of the movable bed bottom, or in other words, as an incident to such manipulation of the bed bottom. A stop pin 49 is secured to the link, piece 35 and engages the guide bracket 38 of the other link piece 36 when the movable section reaches its normal position. The engagement between the stop pin being effective to cause said movable section to assume a position above the stationary section with one sideelevated above its normal position, thereby facilitating insertion of bedding or the like in the storage space between said sections, said extensible link structure 1 being provided with means whereby the link structure may be caused to collapse as an incident to manipulation of said movable section, thereby to permit said movable section to be lowered to'normal position.

MATTHEW F. BAYER.

49 and bracket 38 serves to cause the extenbe determined by reference to the following claim, which should be construed as broadly as possible consistent with the state of the art.

I claim as my invention: s

In an extensible bedstead, the combination of a stationary bed section, a movable bed section normally superposed in spaced relation over said stationary bed section so as to provide space iherebetween for storing bedding or the like, means for supporting one side of said movable section in said normal spaced relation over the stationary section, an extensible link structure having its opposite ends pivotally connected to said stationary 

